Question

You met Jim at a friend's house. You disliked Jim immediately and found him to be rude and self-centered. When some friends were going on a road trip a month later, you found out that Jim is going to be there. Everyone was meeting at 8:00am and Jim showed up 20 minutes late. All you could think about was how inconsiderate it was of him to arrive late, and it just supported what you already felt about him. This situation is best described as ______________.

A Recency effects
B Primacy effects
C Fundamental attribution error
D Confirmation bias

Answer 1

The scenario with Jim showing up late and reinforcing an existing negative impression is an example of Confirmation bias.

Step-by-step explanation:

The situation described in the question best fits D Confirmation bias. This cognitive bias occurs when someone favors information that validates their pre-existing perceptions and attitudes. In this case, the initial negative impression of Jim as rude and self-centered leads to interpreting his late arrival as further proof of those characteristics, overlooking any other possible explanations for his tardiness.